Tag Archives: ogden nash

Four years ago (this evening) my about-to-be husband and I stood up in front of our friends and family (and assorted venue staff), while a good friend of ours read this Ogden Nash poem:

I Do, I Will, I Have

How wise I am to have instructed the butler to instruct the first footmanto instruct the second footman to instruct the doorman to order mycarriage;
I am about to volunteer a definition of marriage.
Just as I know that there are two Hagens, Walter and Copen,
I know that marriage is a legal and religious alliance entered into by aman who can’t sleep with the window shut and a woman who can’tsleep with the window open.
Moreover, just as I am unsure of the difference between flora and faunaand flotsam and jetsam,
I am quite sure that marriage is the alliance of two people one of whomnever remembers birthdays and the other never forgetsam,
And he refuses to believe there is a leak in the water pipe or the gas pipeand she is convinced she is about to asphyxiate or drown,
And she says Quick get up and get my hairbrushes off the windowsill,it’s raining in, and he replies Oh they’re all right, it’s only rainingstraight down.
That is why marriage is so much more interesting than divorce,Because it’s the only known example of the happy meeting of theimmovable object and the irresistible force.
So I hope husbands and wives will continue to debate and combat overeverything debatable and combatable,
Because I believe a little incompatibility is the spice of life, particulary ifhe has income and she is pattable.

The bolded line is one of my favorites. We even hid it in our crossword-themed wedding invitations. Because, as anyone who knows us well has discovered, this is a pretty good description of the pair of us.

One of us is stubborn, and digs in their heels when their position is threatened. This. Is the way. It is going to be. Period. Convincing this one to change their mind can be an undertaking; even more so when they’re convinced that they are right. Conceding that there may be another, better, way is done grudgingly, with some muttering afterward.

The other is determined and lets nothing stand in their way when there’s something they want–even if it means an uphill battle against opposing viewpoints. For heaven’s sake, why can’t the rest of the world just see that they’re right? And while negotiation is nice, there are times when steamrollering is much simpler and faster.

It’s not entirely clear which of us is which, although it’s certain that the roles switch off depending on the situation. Most of the time, the force and immovability are directed outward, but there’s been an occasion or two when we’ve butted heads at home. Two strong personalities sharing one marriage. It could well be a simmering trainwreck. But it isn’t.

You see, immovable objects can also stand firm and give their partner someone to lean on without fear that they’ll give way. We are strong for them even in the most difficult times. We support them through sickness and stress. We are family, and we can stand up together against anything.

Irresistable forces can also face challenges head-on and propel our partner if their confidence flags. We carry the family over even the worst bumps in the road. We push aside the naysayers, the worries from the past, the discouraging statistics. We are family, and we will get ourselves through anything.

We’ve had our conflicts. We’ve had our trials. And we’re committed not just to getting through them, but to getting through them together.